As a Drugless Practitioner, I want to write about things that I did not know....but learned! So, this year I am going to make it my business to share awareness monthly about

Massage and Wellness

Just some information that everyone can find interesting, enlightening and/or helpful! If you find it useful....share this Blog so each one can reach one!!

"When you FEEL GOOD. You DO GOOD!"

Denise Baker-Bradley, LMT, MMP

The Wellness Journey Studio

DID YOU KNOW........MEDITATION CALMS YOUR MIND?

I have suffered a very hard emotional loss in the past week, suddenly losing my best friend. My emotional rollercoaster has left me vulnerable and shaken to my core. I had to go deeper and really use what I call my "GOD time" to take a look at what is going to be a part of my life journey that I am not ready to explore. Now, I feel charged and want to seek out and find what my life on earth is really suppose to be about and find a way to tune into my personal calling. I define one's personal calling as those dreams, hopes and aspirations that GOD really has chosen you to attend to in your daily living. So, I have decided after reading articles by Deepak Chopra and Russell Simmons, to explore what Meditation is really all about.

What I did know was that Meditation is that quiet place you go to, to redefine your thoughts and your actions....at least that is how I have defined it for myself. I use Meditation in my massage practice with my clients by having them do some deep breathing at the beginning and end of their massage because I know that it lowers the heart rate and produces calm within the human body. But, I really want to explore Meditation as a tool that will enlighten and uplift, so I went digging to see what the experts have to say. Deepak Chopra and Russell Simmons have long been advocates for Meditation and that was good enough for me as they are both very successful and prosperous!

According to Deepak Chopra, Life is a story we weave together from the thoughts, feelings, and emotions we experience each moment. He reports that we live the majority of our life in the memories of our past and the expectations of the future. Rarely do we live in the purity of the present. These past memories and future expectations that we embrace throughout the course of our lives are what breed the stresses we feel in each day. Deepak Chopra believes the practice of meditation, allows us to experience a connection to our own voice and source. With this experience, we realize that we are not the patterns and eddies of desire and memory that flow and swirl in our mind and consciousness. Through meditation, we gradually bring harmony, laughter, and love back into our soul and, in the process, rediscover our unconditioned self, which can never really be lost. He goes on to say that by gently washing away the stress, tension, fear, and confusion that often accompany one who is at the crossroads, we can regain our connection to a calmer, more peaceful life. And from that moment on, a life filled with joy, harmony, balance, and peace is ours for the asking.

I LIKE THAT ADVICE!

WHAT I DID NOT KNOW......

Russell Simmons has a new book titled......Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple. As the title suggests, it is a very straight forward, easy to digest guide on how to get past whatever misconceptions or apprehensions you might have about meditation and learn how to use this simple yet incredibly effective modality as a tool for better living. He strongly states to those who question whether Meditation "works," or whether it's "for them," the break down of some of the most obvious benefits and ways Meditation will change your life.

• It will let you do twice the work in half the time. When you meditate, you become less distracted and more focused. And when the distractions are gone, it will make you more productive and efficient on what you're doing.

• It's going to make you less anxious. On an emotional level, so much of our anxiety comes from that tendency of getting entangled in the past and the future. When you use meditation to help you live in the moment, so much of that anxiety just washes away.

• It will help you become more balanced. In today's world, we're encouraged to get amped up over so called "victories" and by extension get depressed over our so called "failures." But we don't have to spend our lives on this emotional roller coaster rushing between the highs of "triumph" and the lows of "defeat." When we become still through meditation, we realize that everything we do has value, that every moment we're breathing is a miracle. And if we can carry even a little bit of that truth with us out of our meditation and into our day, we'll be so much more content and happy.

• It is going to make you feel more connected. Now in a world dominated by social media and communication, you might say, "Why do I have to be even more connected?" Russell Simmons answer is that as much as we love tools like Twitter or texting, they don't promote true connectedness. But when you sit in silence everyday, you begin to realize just how much you have in common with not just other people, but all the living creatures on this beautiful earth. That knowledge makes you more compassionate. And compassionate people are happy people.

• Meditation is going to make you healthier. It's going to lower your blood pressure, which is a condition that makes so many people needlessly ill. It's going to make you less stressed, which we know is a killer. If you struggle with insomnia, it's going to help you sleep better.

In closing, research is now showing that Meditation is also a great tool to fight addiction and recovery. As well help you eat healthier and in smaller portions.

How do we start using Meditation?

All you need to do to access the benefits....is to sit in silence for 20 minutes twice a day. As a Massage Therapist, I like to use deep breathing in thru the nose and out the mouth because it makes you stay focused....even when your mind wants to wander....breathing makes you zone in and stay tuned in because you can stay focused on hearing your breath.

Well, I am going to start using this practice daily and I hope you will do the same! Give me some feedback and comments on what you think of this tool.